How are you doing in terms of community in your life?
For me, living in LA has been so stimulating + expansive: activities, events, speakers, festivals, conferences, restaurants, music + always things to do.
It has also been the most intense experience of lack of emphasis on close community, in the way that I have always known + loved it, in other cities + places around the world.
Stop by my house anytime... Come over + chill... Let's have a potluck... + just generally showing up for one another.
People are just busy. The cost of living is expensive, the energy is fast, + everyone is on their hustle.
Can you relate?
Is it just here, or is it everywhere?
Everyone is on social media these days; many people I know are becoming entrepreneurs, + we are all working from home, on our computers, often alone, for most of the day.
Many days I'm in the kitchen, with clients, or at an event, but when I'm not, I am one of these people too!
So recently, I made an effort to get out + work side by side with entrepreneur friends.
... Today I am at a healer/ dancer/ environmentalist friend's house in Santa Monica. We are listening to Hindu chants + eating grapefruit, + the window is open + the breeze is blowing + we are both typing away....
(Being way more productive together than alone, I might add! + Even with friend catch-up breaks! ;))
Community is so essential to the core of my being.
I spent my early 20s living on "communes," ecovillages, + retreat centers.... which turned into group houses, co-housing, + hosting events in my home when I lived alone.
On social media, we create the sensation of connectedness, and it is truly amazing, the web we weave, + the ease of staying in touch.
However, I believe many of us could use more hugs, eye contact, + the healing energy that comes from being surrounded by friends, brushing shoulders, laughing, + smiling together.
The past few weeks, I have truly been calling in community.
Last month I attended Bhakti Fest, one of the oldest + largest yoga festivals ever, in Joshua Tree, CA.
I love being in the "flow" of running into friends, old + new, as I go about my day, eat meals, walk into a workshop, or hear live music. It seems so natural that we should be living this way all the time.
Work/ Friendship/ Play interchanged....
A couple of weeks ago, I had the joy of working at the Women's Wellness Conference in Costa Mesa, CA, featuring David Wolfe, Dr. Lissa Rankin, + Marianne Williamson, among many others.
I worked for an incredible natural beauty + skin-care company called Living Libations, and I worked all weekend surrounded by dear friends.
Synchronistically, the same weekend, an article came out that I wrote for Elaina Love's Pure Joy Planet website.
You can check out the link here.
It's a recipe for my legendary Kale Salad Classic, with a corresponding youtube video.
I met Elaina Love working with her in Hawaii, on the Big Island, at a David Wolfe New Year's Retreat in 2009.
Working in that kitchen at Kalani Oceanside Retreat did not feel like work; it felt like fun. It felt like exactly where I wanted to be. Why? Because I was surrounded by friends, who made me laugh, who made me cry, where I go to be my authentic self (while washing dishes, of course ;)).
I made friends in Hawaii who led me to move to California, and who are still dear to me this day.
So it feels appropriate that with all my building intention around creating community, that this flurry of activity should happen, all in a few weeks.
Dr. Lissa Rankin, during her talk at the Women's Wellness Conference, shared that above food + exercise, community is the #1 factor (after reviewing scientific studies of longevity in different world cultures) that contributes to long life + health.
Check out her book, Mind Over Medicine. I love it! (And her!)
How are YOU doing with your sense of community?
Are there ways that you can create more community in your life?
Do it for your health. Your well-being. Do it to honor YOU.
With Love + Vision,
x
Debra.